Mary lives Boston during a time when the world was new. In the 1600s, everyone was on the lookout for the devil in disguise. Mary has found it in her husband when he drives a fork through her hand, and she vows to divorce him. But when mysterious events begin happening, she is not only trying to get away from him but the gallows as well.

I am astounded at how thought provoking, yet interesting this story was. The book shows the stereotypes people face when witch hunts were on the rise. The fear, the madness that ensued, was all perfectly captured in this book. I especially loved that the author gave Mary the voice to want a divorce, when that wasn't commonplace at the time.

The book did have its pacing issues where it wasn't consistent and caused the story to drag. The dialogue was also off for me, and didn't feel realistic, for current times or the 1600s.

I was excited to read this because it was about a Puritan witch trial. However, they’re were many scenes that made me very uncomfortable. I felt for Mary and hated how much hardships she had to endure. Thus, I found it hard to keep going as every horrible moment let happening to her and it seemed like things would not get better. Still, Mary is a strong heroine. I recommend this for fans The Witch of Blackbird Pond, The Heretic’s Daughter, and Tituba!

Wow ! What a book. Great historical content, with a compelling story. Could be tied to the #metoo movement of this generation. Features a strong woman and how she fights her circumstances. Great book for discussion.

A very timely novel, well written and researched. This story is fiction, but could just as well have been true as it is based on historical events. The plot is captivating, the pace of the story makes the reader want to keep turning pages until 3 AM to finish this book. Unfortunately, the slump that follows the completion of the book makes the reader wish they had savored it more despite the desire to burn through the pages.

I greatly enjoyed this book. The only thing I disliked about it was the horrible book hangover it left me with. Highly recommended.

Boston in 1662 was a scary time for women. I have always found myself fascinated by this time period and this book did not leave me dissapointed. I feel like the author, Chris Bohjalian has a way about him to write not only historical but add that thriller context to it.

Chris Bohjalian is a master storyteller--and his gifts are on lush display in HOUR OF THE WITCH, a haunting, fierce and powerful story of a woman caught in the web of society and her passions. A rich portrait of a place and time, with whiplash pacing and finely crafted characters, this is an historical novel of the finest order--not to be missed.

Many thanks to Doubleday and to Netgalley for the pleasure of the read.

“Hour of the Witch”, a historical fiction novel, is set in Boston, Massachusetts in 1662, before the Salem Witch Trials. The tension builds in this book with an unexpected ending I never saw coming. I would definitely recommend this wonderful book.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Doubleday Books for the free electronic ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This book is set in Puritan Massachusetts. Mary Deerfield is accused by her abusive husband of being a witch. If you’re fascinated by anything to do with witch trials then you’ll enjoy this book. It’s written in puritan prose, so be aware

Another great read by Chris Bohjalian. This story explores the role of women in Boston in 1662, the power of men, and the disregard men had for women. Mary Deerfield's character is well-developed and her inner monologue grapples with how religious beliefs fit into the realities of life. I particularly loved the way that the author included information from actual court records.

The audiobook for this story was very well done and added depth to the story.

I 've read quite a few of this author's books, this one wasn't my favorite but I still liked it. I think I connected with other ones better.

I like to thank NetGalley and Edelweiss for allowing me to read this book.

I do not doubt there is a story here, but I just don't think I can take the writing or the mixture of a modern tone with 'thee' and 'thou'. I took a look at the author's other books and realized that they wrote in a more 20th century / modern format. I'm not doubting that a writer can't write or shift time periods when it comes to stories, but it seems that he same tone of writing for those books were used for these, and to just give it that 'puritan' vibe we throw in their old archaic language / diction - constantly.

The first portion of the book you can instantly side with the poor 20 year old girl who is shackled to her absuive, mill working 40 year old husband. He was previously married, and has children of his own. Until his wife died, and his older daughter married and moved out of the house. They're not poor by any means, since she came from a family of money, but you wonder why she stays with him.

I was expecting more stronger story. Everything is told at a distance or a strange way of showing us what is happening in the story. There is no feel. The characters lack depth, and so does the setting / time period. I get this is pre-colonial, but seriously? All I really feel for and know is the house that she is in.

I got as far as 20% into this book when I realized that it was not for me. Which is fine.

Hour of the Witch has all the elements I love about Chris Bohjalian's books. The history is researched and real. Fascinating history aside, the book is at the same time fiction and tells a story that keeps me rapidly turning pages from beginning to the end. What I might expect of this book is the story of Puritan New England and a male dominated society. Yet, this book is really the story of the women - those who would tear each other down and those who would lift each other up.

Read my complete review at http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2022/02/hour-of-witch.html

Reviewed for NetGalley.

It’s been a while since I’ve read a “witch” story that wasn’t horror or dark fantasy so it was nice getting back to puritanical times where the slightest offense could render a woman a witch and therefor hanged. However, the “witch” part of this book is minimal and instead we get the trial and tribulations of Mary Deerfield and her insufferable husband, Thomas.

You can take a lot of what the story is via the synopsis but the author selves into the mistreatment of women in 1662… as y’all can well guess how it was back then. If they fall “out of line” then clearly they are mad, in cahoots with the devil and most likely a witch. Isn’t it better to be terrorized by your husband rather than feel the roughness of a rope around your neck?

I see this as a suspenseful historical fiction that gave me a very satisfying ending. I love that the author gives us different kind of stories in each of his books. Variety is the spice of life. 😉 Would def recommend this audiobook but don’t expect a ton of action but more a character study.

I am a member of the American Library Association Reading List Award Committee. This title was suggested for the 2022 list. It was not nominated for the award. The complete list of winners and shortlisted titles is at <a href="https://rusaupdate.org/2022/01/readers-advisory-announce-2022-reading-list-years-best-in-genre-fiction-for-adult-readers/">

Normally I devour books by Chris Bohjalian; The Guest Room, Midwifes and The Flight Attendant are favorites. I eagerly anticipate starting THE HOUR OF THE WITCH, great subject matter in the hands of one of my favorite authors.

I am so sad to say this book dragged for me, boring comes to mind but I cannot believe I am saying that about a Bohjalian book.

I am a fan of Historical fiction and thought in the hands of Chris Bohjalian I would be transported to another time, engrossed in the characters and the subject matter, sadly this did not happen.

This is by no means a poorly written book, the writing is top notch as always. For me it dragged and never quite redeemed itself. I will eagerly anticipate the next Bohjalian novel but this one never quite connected for me.

I enjoyed reading the Hour of the Witch by Chris Bohjalian. At first it was really slow going, but then the novel picked up. I certainly won't look at a fork the same way again. It was a fascinating look at divorce and witchcraft in 17th century America.

What made this novel intriguing to read was that it focused on the puritan culture in some ways which are NOT something commonly noted in the literature. It is such a fun thing to read about. It was a terrible time for many but it make such great material for fiction! I love what Bohjalian did with this! It is very good!

Hour of Witch is Salem Witch Trials-inspired historical fiction at its best, seasoned with resonant and relevant social commentary on a biased patriarchal, dogma-reliant justice system, mob mentality, and institutional sexism. In my opinion, Bohjalian is one of a handful of male authors who skillfully write deeply layered, complex, and authentic female characters, and Mary Deerfield is a heroine for the ages. Her line, "Even rocks are rubbed small by the river" encapsulates so much about this novel's overarching themes of domestic violence, child abuse, toxic masculinity, and radicalized religion. As the denouement unfolds, the pacing ramps up, and twisty resolution is both revelatory and satisfying. In the acknowledgements, Bohjalian lists the reference material he consumed while researching and writing this book, and his commitment to creating a believable, compelling story shines through.

This book was certainly an interesting recount of what Puritan women endured as they went through a divorce and was accused of witchcraft. As the usual, I found everything they went through appalling. I felt the author really provided an avid attention to detail and included many factual elements to make their point. The issue I found is that it made for a bit of a dull read. I had trouble finishing it.

I would expect no less of a great novel about Salem from Mr. Bohjalian. No one weaves a tale quite like him and Hour of the Witch does not disappoint.